The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-06-27
Linden street Chri.tian Church

"The Danger of Indifference" was
discussed by Mr.. Briney, who based
bis remarks upon the epistls to the
church in Loadicea. The seven brief
epistles, said the speaker, addressed 10
the seven churches in Asia, indicated
clearly the ground upon which Chris
tisn character rests. 81 know thy
works" liz the opening sentence Of each
Of these short documents, and accord
ing TO their works the churches are
praised or blamed. Christian work
decides Christian character, both as it
respects individuals and churches.
Christ calls people into his vineyard
that they may work, and he wants
them to work industIiously. There is
no place for idlers in the Kingdom of
God, and the great head OF the church
seems to look with peculiar disfavor
upon such as are disposed to shirk
duty.
The severest criticism passed by the
Savior upon these seven churches
is upon the ope in LaodiCea
and the ground of It is
their lukewaTmness "Becsuse
thou art luke warm, and neither hot
nor cold, l will speW thee out of my
mouth" Is the seemingly severe lam
guage of the Savior to these people.
The allusion seems to be to the fact
that while cold water is refreshing
and hot water is not disagrseable to
the stomach, tepid water ia nauseating.
Indifference in the service Of the Mas
ter is so disgusting to HIN that he ex-
presses his adherence by this strong
figure. Christianity seeks to repro.
duce the Redeemer in the redeemed,
and Christians are to stand forth bsfoIe
the world as The representatives of
Christ. Whatever they do they sre
to do in the name OF Christ and for
the glory OF Christ. They are to
elorify Him in their bodies end spirits.
This they cannot do II characterized
by lukewarmness in their devotion to
Him and in the service they render
Him. They must give themselves up
to this cause as II there were some
thing in it, and engage in this work as
II it we're Of very great Importance.
Acceptable service cannot be rendered
to God on the idea that his work is
Of secondary importance. His SER
wants must be earnest and Jealous in
his service. This he demands and
has right to expect. Thus, and only
thus, can they IT fl ct credit upon Him
whom they, in their Christian char
acter, represent.
Diligence 10 necessary to success in
every department Of life. The price
Of distinction as a scholar ia persistent
application to study, and success in
business does not come except ss the
result uf close attention TO duty. Ad-
vsncement on the part OF on employee
depends upon the interest he takes in
this affairs of his employer. Let us
not deceive ourselves by surprising
that God is pleased with a service
carelessly rendered. We must have
His cause at heart and show that we
are interested in His work. We must
not loiter in the rear OF the Lord,s
army, but be in the front OF the battle
and In the thickest of the fight. We
must come up to the help OF the Lord
against the mighty and scquit our
selves like men.
Not only has the Savior
taught us diligence in the service OF
God, by precept, bat He has given us
the example. As boy twelve years
old he gave his mother to understand
that he must be about His fathers
business. No one ever thinks OF Jesus
as Indifferent to the work in which He
was engaged. He never occurs to the
imagination as careless about the
cause that brought him into this
world. He was never lukewarm in
his devotion to the will OF God, mol
dilatory in the performance OF any
duty. II was his meat and drink to
do the will of the Father. II weary
withHis journey, he sat by the well,
awaiting the return Of the disciples
with bread to satisfy his hunger. A
moor woman came who needed to be
instructed in the way Of life, He joy
tullv resumed his toll that he
might turn the current Of life in the
right direction. And when the disci,
pies returned with bread and urged
Him to cat, He let them know that the
work in which He was engaged was
| more important Indu ohlhEi oIoH
though He were hungry. Surely he
can properly require earneetness oil uF
in the performance Of the work DE
has given US to do.
A lukeworm church member occu'
pies the most dangerous position re-
| ljpiously that an individual can oc
cupy. He is harder to reach with
the motives OF the gospel than one
who does not claim to be Christian
He is largely self-deceived by dream.
ing that he is all right when he is all
wrong, by fancying that he is on the
road to heaven when he is really trav'
cling in the other direction. Argu
ments intended TO convict men Of
ain he passes by on the mistaken ide'
that they do not apply to him. dc
has a sort of q dreamy, nebulous ides
that he is safe and all reasoning and
exbortation intended to turn people
10 Christ are lost upon him. He is In
a lost condition and does not know the
fact To all such the Savior says, "Bt